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Creamy Farfalle With Ham, Peas & Cheese



A Deliciously Easy Italian Dish Difficulty: ★★★★ Required Patience: ★★★★★


Simple Italian dishes are the best! In this dish, some of our favorite ingredients join to make a homemade creation perfect for entertaining or a special meal at home alone. You can't go wrong with peas, cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, ham, and butter!


Farfalle's origin is from the Northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. While most people know farfalle simply as "bow tie pasta," it's derived from the Italian word farfalle, which means butterflies. 🦋 🦋 🦋 As such my family nicknamed this dish "butterfly pasta." Once you've tasted this dish you're likely to have butterflies in your stomach just thinking about it.


Creamy butterfly pasta is impressive and so easy to make. We only scored it two patience stars because we had to refrain from eating it before it was ready!

Time To Prepare:

About 25 minutes


Foodie Tips:

  • What's "passata?" It's an uncooked tomato purée that has been strained of seeds and skins. Passata has a thin consistency compared to tomato paste. Passata is ideal for recipes where you want a smooth tomato base, such as sauces, soups, and stews when you want the tomato flavor to be prominent without the texture of tomato chunks. You'll likely find my favorite Cento Passata on the grocery shelves - if not you can substitute tomato paste and a little broth/wine/water or why not make your own?

  • Cheese tip: Parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses are not quite the same. This article explains the differences. I prefer Parmigiano-Reggiano in my kitchen.

  • Butterfly pasta pairing ideas: Bruschetta, garlic bread, ensalata caprese, or your chosen garden salad. For the culinary dismount enjoy my homemade limoncello paired with limoncello goat cheese cookies for the win.

Ingredients:

To Coat Pan  | Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons  | Unsalted Butter (Falfurrias Brand Is My Family's Go-To Butter)

12-16 Ounces  | Ham, Cubed

1 Cup  | Passata Sauce (See Tip Above)

2 Cups  | Frozen Peas 16 Ounces (1 Box)  | Farfalle Pasta

1 Cup  | Heavy Cream To Taste  | Kosher Salt And Fresh Cracked Black Pepper 1 Cup +  | Parmigiano-Reggiano, Fresh Grated

To Serve  | Basil, Hand Torn (Optional)

To Serve  | More Parmigiano-Reggiano (Not Optional)


What To Do:


1. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil and warm it over medium heat.

2. Add the butter and stir until melted.


3. Add the ham and cook and stir for a few minutes, (I use a wooden fork or spoon).


4. Add the the passata and stir for 1-2 minutes.


5. Add the frozen peas and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Smile and enjoy the fragrance!


6. While the sauce and peas are simmering prepare the farfalle according to the package instructions.


7. Add the cream, salt, and pepper to the sauce and continue simmering for 1 minute. Turn the heat off. 8. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and stir/toss, then serve. 9. Top with the fresh basil (if using) and more parm/cheese.


Yield: 4 - 8 servings. The bigger the serving the better the meal.

Joe Paul Reider

Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder Austin Realtor® Keller Williams Realty

Email: JoePaul@KW.com Mobile: 512-222-3302 Web: JoePaulReider.KW.com





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2 Comments


I just happen to have farfalle pasta on hand! This sounds fantastic! And what an easy dish to make ! Wondering if I could use other meats in this recipe , like pancetta or prosciutto?

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You absolutely can substitute the ham with your favorite protein! That sounds like a fun way to explore the variations of this dish!

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